Toy torpedo launcher



INVENTOR.

Feb. 10, 1953 E. w. KOEPNICK TOY TORPEDO LAUNCHER Filed on. 1a, 1947 zoa Patented Feb. 10, 1953 V UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE 1 2,627,853 v i TOY TORPEDO LAUNCHER r I Edward W. Koepnick Dayton Ohio ieppl ication October is, 1941; se iaifNo jvsacsc {Q 3Claims. (01.124526) This inventionrelates to a toy torpedo launcher and more particularly to a catapult simulating a toy submarine ejecting a torpedo. This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 627,252, filed November 7, 1945;. and now abandoned.

An object of this invention is to provide a catapuit for projecting a missile towards a toy bat- 1316511113. 1

Another object of this invention is to provide a toy torpedo'launcher in which the parts may 'be manuiactured cheaply and in which the cost of assembling the parts is maintained at a miniu Another object of this invention is to provide gin-improved arrangement for supporting the coil spring elements in' a toy torpedo launcher.

Still another object of this invention is to-provide an improved sear arrangement which eliminates the need for accurately machining the parts and which provides for a more positive engagement between the sear'and the torpedo. Other objects and advantage'sreside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof and the mode-of operation,- as will become more apparent from the following description.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a preferred form of torpedo launcher.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the central longitudinal axis of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the lower half of torpedo launcher.

Figure 4 is a plan view showing the bottom side of the top half of the torpedo launcher;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line'S-S ofFigurel; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-0 of Figure 3.,

vIn Figures 1 through fi l have shown an arrangement for 'a torpedo launcher in which the plastic parts forming the main submarine body are so constructed and arranged as to reduce the cost of the earlier types of launchers both by reducing the amount of plastic required and by making other improvements which simplify the assembly of the parts and at the same time improve the operation of the torpedo launching mechanism. In this embodiment the submarine proper comprises an upper molded plastic member 202 and a lower molded plastic member 204.

Whereas the submarines disclosed in said copending application comprise substantially solid pieces of molded material the elements 202 and 204 have been designed so as to reduce the amount of plasti required and to reduce the the weight of the unit. In order to provide a central hollow tube portion for supporting" the. torpedo and the torpedo propelling spring. 208 there is provided a centrally disposed semi-tubular portion 2 Win the lower member 204 and a somewhat simil-a'r semi-tubular portion 2 I 2 in the upper member 292. A plurality of reinforcing ribs 2 [4 have been provided as shown which serve to prevent buckling of the outer walls of the submarine and "serve to, hold the centrally disposed tu'bular portions place. As indicated inFigures 2, 3, and 4, the one end of the spring 208. is provided with a hook which'is held in place within the groove; 216 formed between the meeting edges of the pieces 202an'd 204. j

'.1,&"-'sear;220 pivotaflly'mounted one. metal pin 222 the ends ofwhich arehel-d in placewithin opposed recesses providedin the plastic'memhers 202 and 204 such as theone' recess 224 shown inFig'ure The sear 220 includes a, first projection' 220 which is-a-dapted'to engage within the annular recess192 provided in the torpedo or missile 90.1 It will be noted that'the projection 22B engages the wallet the recess 92 at such an angle. and, from such a direction that jarring of the parts or any increase in the spring pressure tending to force the missile 00 outwardly tends to increase the force with which the sear engages thewall 10f the groove 92." This construction represents a definite improvement over the construction shown in said copending application. In the arrangement shown in said copending application, the torpedo engaging sear or pawl tends soon-eror'ilater to produce rounded cornets on the torpedo and also the sear with the result that after repeated use the sear fails to hold the torpedoin place. j j

The sear is provided with aj'second and rounded "projection 228 which registers within the "slot 230 provided the end ofthe pivoted trigger mem- "her 232. The trigger 232 is anarchy-supported on a metal pin 234 supported between the plastic elements 202 and 204. A coil spring 236 which is mounted in a cavity 238 formed in the meeting edges of the .plastic members 202 and 204 biases the trigger element 232 and the sear elemerit-'2 20 into the torpedo holding position.

The above described parts are easily assembled and do not require the use of any screws for holding them in place. The elements 208, 220, 222, 232, 234 and 236 are laid in plac on the lower plastic member 204 and then the upper piece 202 is laid on top and the elements 202 and 204 are bonded together so as to form a unitary mounting for the torpedo launching elements.

Any well known type of bonding material may be used and th type of bonding material used depends partly upon the type of plastic used. It will be noted that the lower element 204 is provided with a plurality of integrally formed alignment pins 249 which engage within complementary recesses 242 provided in the upper member 2132. The construction and arrangement of the molded elements is such that they may be made in the simplest form of molds and once the parts are assembled they form a neat and sturdy unit.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A toy torpedo launching device comprising in combination, a first molded plastic element simulating the lower half of a submarin and having a semi-circular channel formed in its upper surface extending substantially along the longitudinal axis of the element, a second molded plastic element simulating the upper half of a submarine and having a semi-circular channel in its lower side complementary to said first named semi-circular channel and forming with said first named channel a torpedo tube, a sear, means pivotally supporting said sear adjacent said tube with a portion of the sear adapted to project into said tube for engagement with a toy torpedo, a trigger element pivotally supported between said molded elements and having one end arranged in engagement with said sear and having its other end projecting to the outside of said submarine, and a spring disposed within said tube and having an end held within a recess formed in one of said plastic elements, said means for pivotally supporting said sear being located forwardly from the point of contact between the sear and the torpedo.

2. A toy submarine having a first molded plastic shell member, said first shell member including transversely extending reinforcing ribs,

a second molded plastic shell member secured i to said first named shell member, said first and second named shell members having formed integrally therewith a torpedo launching tube, a compression spring disposed within said tube and having one end anchored within said tube and having the other end arranged for engagement with a toy torpedo, and trigger mechanism for controlling the release of a toy torpedo, said trigger mechanism being movably mounted on and between said first and second named shell members, said trigger mechanism comprising a trig er element and a pivoted sear, said sear having a first projection for engaging said toy torpedo and having a second projection arranged in registry with a portion of said trigger, a first pivot for said sear, a second pivot for said trigger element, said first projection on said sear being arranged between said first and second pivots.

3. A toy submarine having a first molded plastic shell member, said first shell member including transversely extending reinforcing ribs, a second molded plastic shell member secured to said first named shell member, said first and second named shell members having formed integrally therewith a torpedo launching tube, a compression spring disposed within said tube and having one end anchored within said tube and having the other end arranged for engagement with a toy torpedo, and trigger mechanism for controlling the release of a toy torpedo, said trigger mechanism being movably mounted on and between said first and second named shell members, said trigger mechanism comprising a trigger element and a pivoted sear, a second compression spring carried by and between said shell members urging said sear into latching engagement with the torpedo, said sear having a first projection for engaging said toy torpedo and having a second projection arranged in registry with a portion of said trigger, a first pivot for said sear, a second pivot for said trigger element, said first projection on said sear being arranged between said first and second pivots whereby the resultant force of said first compression spring acting through the torpedo urges said sear in the direction toward the axis of the torpedo so as to more firmly engage the torpedo.

EDWARD W. KOEPNICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 218,415 Williams Aug. 12, 1879 387,761 Briggs Aug. 14, 1888 472,608 Rand Apr. 12, 1892 1,134,579 Audsley Apr. 6, 1915 1,235,771 Dettra Aug. 7, 1917 1,262,051 Humphrey Apr. 9, 1918 1,296,915 Burney Mar. 11, 1919 1,306,362 Wall June 10, 1919 2,445,812 Wallach July 27, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 6,729 Great Britain 1904 

